SmackDown Countdown 2004: Christian

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This one's for the Peepulation!

By Jeremy Dunham

To call it IGN's most popular recurring feature would be an understatement. And to think that we would ever let a year go by where we didn't revisit the famed SmackDown Countdown is a serious mistake on all parts. So for this, our fourth consecutive year, your friends here at IGNPS2 have returned to the squared circle to once bring you just one step closer to the men and women that do so much to make THQ's successful wrestling franchise what it is: awesome.

And fittingly enough, this year's edition of the fashionable franchise is easily its most ambitious version to date, as WWE SmackDown! vs. RAW marks the first time in the series' history that it takes a step into the online arena. And though this new version does suffer from a slightly smaller roster when compared to last year's Here Comes the Pain, it still manages to pack in an incredible amount of new features that should more than make up for the lack of wrestlers. Refined graphics, smarter AI, better grappling mechanics, and an improved presentation are just a few of the improvements worth mentioning; with several other more subtle refinements, best left for you to the gamer to uncover.

In the meantime, we're dedicating ourselves to bringing our fans the best damn SmackDown coverage they could ever hope for. As we're spending the next seven weeks highlighting all 52 current and legendary superstars on the SmackDown vs. RAW roster in a way we haven't done before. So to do things a little bit differently, we're going to reward dedicated wrestling fans by giving them two wrestlers every Monday and Thursday (the nights that SmackDown! and RAW air on television) in addition to our solo updates on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. When we reach the legends in our countdown, we'll go ahead and up the ante again by providing you with two of them every day until we've reached all eleven. Sound good? Thought so!

But enough with the setup already, let's get the show on the road! So sit back, relax, and enjoy today's Countdown superstar, Christian!

Height: 6'2"

Hometown: Toronto, Canada

Weight:235lbs

Christian, a.k.a Captain Charisma, made his WWE debut in 1997. His first match set the tone for his remarkable career, as he won the WWE Light Heavyweight Championship.

Originally part of the Brood, Christian soon decided to partner with Edge and compete in the tag-team division. At WrestleMania 2000, the two etched their place in history by defeating the Hardy Boyz and Dudleys in a thrilling Ladder Match for the World Tag Team Championship. This would not be their last, as they went on to win the Tag Team titles a remarkable seven times. When he joined the Un-Americans in 2002, he won it twice more, once with Lance Storm, and then later won it one more time with Chris Jericho.

In addition to his tag-team success, Christian has flourished as a singles performer. At WrestleMania X8, he captured the Hardcore Championship. On September 23, 2001, he defeated Edge for his first Intercontinental Championship. Christian's second Intercontinental Championship reign came on May 18, 2003, at Judgment Day, when he won a Battle Royal featuring past Intercontinental Champions. The third time was when he took it from Booker T in August 2003, a month after Booker and won it from him.

In early 2004, Christian stole Chris Jericho's love interest, Trish Stratus, and secured bodyguard Tyson Tomko to serve as an enforcer. Although neither move endeared him to the fans, Christian could care less.

In the fall of 2004, he even began a feud with one of the most popular WWE Superstars of all-time: Shawn Michaels.

That's it for today's installment of the 2004 SmackDown Countdown. We'll be back again tomorrow with our next superstar (keep in mind that all statistical attributes are considered temporary until the final version of the game ships this November). In the meantime, check our table below for links to the superstars we've already covered and for hints as to who you can expect to see next. See you again real soon!